BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Conifer Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNFR) (“Conifer” or the “Company”) today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.
Third Quarter 2019 Financial HighlightsGross written premium increased 2% to $27.1 millionCommercial Lines combined ratio was 106.3% (with accident year combined ratio of 95.6%)Personal Lines combined ratio was 154.5% (with accident year combined of 125.8%)The Company’s overall accident year combined ratio was 97.4%Net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.13 per share based on 9.5 million average shares outstandingAs of September 30, 2019, book value was $4.74 per shareManagement Comments
James Petcoff, Chairman and CEO, commented, “Our singular focus remains not on market share, but improvement in underwriting profits. We reported excellent accident year combined ratios in our commercial business, and our overall combined ratio improved dramatically as more profitable specialty lines grow in size. We have worked aggressively to close outstanding claims from personal lines, and with each quarter the wind-exposed homeowners business becomes a smaller impact to our bottom line.”Mr. Petcoff continued, “In 2020, our goal is to maintain steady premium growth that takes advantage of the current market conditions. Overall, we feel that this growth, coupled with lean operations, will help drive our expense ratio down to below 40% over time and ultimately lead to a consistent trend of profitability and book value growth.”2019 Third Quarter Financial Results Overview2019 Third Quarter Premiums
Gross Written Premiums
Gross written premiums increased 2% in the third quarter of 2019 to $27.1 million, compared to $26.6 million in the prior year period. The increase was due to growth in the Company’s small-business specialty lines, along with a slight increase in personal lines premiums during the quarter due to stable growth in its low-value dwelling line.Net Earned Premiums
Net earned premiums decreased 2.9% to $22.8 million for the third quarter of 2019, compared to $23.5 million for the prior year period. The decrease is largely attributed to lower personal lines net earned premiums, which decreased by $844,000 in the quarter.Commercial Lines Financial and Operational ReviewThe Company’s commercial lines of business, representing 92.4% of total gross written premium in the third quarter of 2019, primarily consists of property and liability coverage offered to owner-operated small- to mid-sized businesses, such as hospitality risks including restaurants, bars, taverns and professional organizations.Commercial lines gross written premium was roughly flat at $25 million in the third quarter of 2019. The Company continues to shift its mix towards more profitable specialty lines.For the third quarter of 2019, the commercial lines loss ratio was 62.8%, with profitable current year operations being offset by prior-year development.The commercial lines accident year combined ratio was 95.6% for the quarter.Personal Lines Financial and Operational ReviewPersonal lines, which consists largely of low-value dwelling homeowner’s insurance, represented 7.6% of total gross written premium for the third quarter of 2019. Personal lines gross written premium increased 12.9% to $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2019 compared to the prior year period, largely due to renewed growth in the Company’s low-value dwelling line of business.The loss ratio for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was 97.9%, compared to 94.6% in the prior year period, largely driven by losses from wind-exposed homeowners lines (specifically Florida homeowners). The Company’s wind-exposed lines of business continue to represent a smaller portion of the Company’s overall gross premiums written, with Florida homeowners business declining 50.9% during the quarter. Due to the planned decline in the wind-exposed business and the related reinstatement costs, net earned premiums decreased to $1.3 million during the third quarter, compared to $2.2 million in the prior year.Combined Ratio AnalysisCombined Ratio
The Company’s combined ratio was 109.2% for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared to 118.2% for the same period in 2018. The Company’s accident year combined ratio for the quarter ended September 30, 2019 was 97.4%, compared to 103.7% in the prior year period. Loss Ratio:
The Company’s losses and loss adjustment expenses were $14.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2019, compared to $16.6 million in the prior year period. This resulted in a lower loss ratio of 64.9%, compared to 70.4% in the prior year period.
Expense Ratio:
The expense ratio improved slightly to 44.3% for the third quarter of 2019, compared to 47.8% in the prior year period.Net Investment Income
Net investment income increased 53.9% to $1.2 million during the third quarter ended September 30, 2019, compared to $786,000 in the prior year period, largely due higher investment yields.Net Income (Loss)
In the third quarter of 2019, the Company reported net loss of $1.2 million, or $0.13 per share, compared to a net loss of $3.6 million, or $0.42 per share in the prior year period.Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)
In the third quarter of 2019, the Company reported adjusted operating loss of $1.9 million, or $0.18 per share, compared to adjusted operating loss of $1.2 million, or $0.14 per share, for the same period in 2018. See Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures.Earnings Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call/webcast on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss results for the third quarter ending September 30, 2019. The Company will file its third quarter financial results on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 before the conference call/webcast. Investors, analysts, employees and the general public are invited to listen to the conference call via:Webcast: On the Event Calendar at IR.CNFRH.com
Conference Call: 844-868-8843 (domestic) or 412-317-6589 (international)The webcast will be archived on the Conifer Holdings website and available for replay for at least one year.About the Company
Conifer Holdings, Inc. is a Michigan-based insurance holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Conifer offers customized insurance coverage solutions in both specialty commercial and specialty personal product lines marketing mainly through independent agents in all 50 states. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market (Nasdaq: CNFR). Additional information is available on the Company’s website at www.CNFRH.com.Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures
Conifer prepares its public financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Statutory data is prepared in accordance with statutory accounting rules as defined by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, and therefore is not reconciled to GAAP data.We believe that investors’ understanding of Conifer’s performance is enhanced by our disclosure of adjusted operating income. Our method for calculating this measure may differ from that used by other companies and therefore comparability may be limited. We define adjusted operating income (loss), a non-GAAP measure, as net income (loss) excluding net realized investment gains and losses, after-tax, and excluding the tax impact of changes in unrealized gains and losses. We use adjusted operating income as an internal performance measure in the management of our operations because we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our results of operations and our underlying business performance.Reconciliations of adjusted operating income and adjusted operating income per share:Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events or our future financial or operating performance, and include Conifer’s expectations regarding premiums, earnings, its capital position, expansion, and growth strategies. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management’s good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information. The forward-looking statements are qualified by important factors, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including those described in our form 10-K (“Item 1A Risk Factors”) filed with the SEC on March 13, 2019 and subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this report speaks only as of the date hereof or as of the date specified herein. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable laws or regulations.
For Further Information:
Jessica Gulis, 248.559.0840
[email protected]
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